EP2161540B1 - Viewing system for aircraft comprising means for displaying a final destination and associated display method - Google Patents

Viewing system for aircraft comprising means for displaying a final destination and associated display method Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2161540B1
EP2161540B1 EP09168482A EP09168482A EP2161540B1 EP 2161540 B1 EP2161540 B1 EP 2161540B1 EP 09168482 A EP09168482 A EP 09168482A EP 09168482 A EP09168482 A EP 09168482A EP 2161540 B1 EP2161540 B1 EP 2161540B1
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Prior art keywords
terrain
final destination
representation
wind
aircraft
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP2161540A1 (en
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Corinne Bacabara
Christian Nouvel
Jean-Noël Perbet
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Thales SA
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Thales SA
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01C—MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY
    • G01C23/00—Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G08—SIGNALLING
    • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
    • G08G5/00—Traffic control systems for aircraft, e.g. air-traffic control [ATC]
    • G08G5/0017—Arrangements for implementing traffic-related aircraft activities, e.g. arrangements for generating, displaying, acquiring or managing traffic information
    • G08G5/0021—Arrangements for implementing traffic-related aircraft activities, e.g. arrangements for generating, displaying, acquiring or managing traffic information located in the aircraft

Definitions

  • the general technical field of the invention is that of synthetic vision systems also called SVS, acronym for Synthetic Vision Systems used more particularly in aeronautics to present the pilot information on the steering or navigation in the most ergonomic way possible.
  • SVS Synthetic Vision Systems
  • the graphical representation concerns the display of the final destination.
  • SVS type display devices provide pilots with a better awareness of surrounding hazards such as loss of control ground collisions, commonly referred to as "Controlled Flight Into Terrain". CFITs are the leading cause of catastrophic accidents on civil aircraft. The aeronautics industry is focusing on ways to reduce or even eliminate them permanently. Generally, SVS systems can display synthetic terrain as well as natural obstacles or human constructions in perspective. Thus, the pilot has the most realistic perception of the outdoor landscape. Typically, the SVS data is displayed on a screen commonly referred to as PFD, which stands for Primary Flight Display.
  • PFD Primary Flight Display
  • this landing zone for a helicopter may be only an area where some trees have been previously cut. At low flying altitude, it is therefore almost impossible to locate this area.
  • the system according to the invention allows to visualize on the SVS system the final destination to which the pilot of the aircraft must go in an extremely intuitive and ergonomic way.
  • the invention allows the pilot to better navigate by becoming aware of the direction he must follow and better visualize the goal to be achieved and its environment by correlating the visualization from the SVS and the external environment. His workload is reduced and his stress is lower.
  • this representation provides the pilot with crucial data for his landing, namely the direction and speed of the wind and the slope of the terrain. This last information is very important for the helicopter pilot who must always put the nose of his aircraft up the slope to preserve the tail and anti-torque rotor of the aircraft.
  • the subject of the invention is an SVS synthetic vision type visualization system for an aircraft, said system comprising at least one navigation database, a terrain map database, position sensors, anemometric sensors, slope measurement sensors of said terrain, an electronic computer, a human-machine interface means and a display screen, the computer comprising means for processing the various information from the databases, sensors and the interface means, said processing means arranged to provide the display screen with a synthetic image of the terrain comprising a representation of the final destination, characterized in that said representation comprises a physical representation of a set aeronautical type air-blower with three parts, a lower part located at the correct position of the position of the n final in the field, a vertical junction line and a perspective representation of the actual air shaft disposed above said junction line, the shape and orientation of the lower part being representative of the local slope ground at the location of said windsock.
  • the lower part may be an ellipse whose inclination is representative of the local slope of the terrain, said ellipse having two faces of different color or texture (hatching, ...), the displayed color being representative of the direction of the slope view of the aircraft.
  • the connecting line has a sufficient size so that the standardized symbol dominates the surrounding terrain and is not hidden by the relief.
  • the perspective representation of the windsock has the shape of an elongated truncated cone comprising five rings, the first, third and fifth rings being of a first color, the second and fourth rings being of a second color, the orientation of the cone being representative of the direction of the wind, the cone comprising a break, all the rings arranged before the break representing the wind speed.
  • Each ring represents a given wind speed, for example, five knots.
  • the representation of the windsock has an apparent display size representative of a constant size on the ground.
  • the graphic display system 200 is implanted in an aircraft and comprises a computer or a processor 202 configured to provide a display screen 210 with the information to be displayed.
  • One or more data sources are connected to the processor 202. These data sources include a map database or terrain information 206 used for drawing the perspective view. These databases are generally positioned in the aircraft. Data can also come from the ground by means of transmission or "data link”. In addition, this data can be stored on various peripherals such as floppy disks, hard disks, CD-ROMs, volatile memories, nonvolatile memories, RAMs or any other means for storing data.
  • the system comprises a "DIRECT TO" input system 204 which may be a "GPS” system, an acronym for Global Positioning System, a flight management system or FMS or any other system allowing the pilot to enter the coordinates of the final destination.
  • the system also includes positioning sensors 208, wind sensors 214 giving the direction and wind speed and slope sensors of the terrain 216.
  • the system includes control means 212 for display. These means are, for example, as shown on the figure 1 , a Cursor Control Device (CCD), a medium close to the computer "mouse”. It can also be a control station including buttons, potentiometers, ...
  • CCD Cursor Control Device
  • the processor 202 is interfaced with hardware components that provide a graphical rendering.
  • these hardware components are one or more microprocessors, memories, storage devices, interface cards or any other standard components.
  • the processor 202 operates with software or "software” or firmware or “firmware”. It is able to read machine instructions to perform various tasks, calculations and control functions and generate the signals to be displayed and other data used by the display screen. These instructions may be stored on floppy disks, hard disks, CD-ROMs, volatile memories, nonvolatile memories, RAMs or any other means for storing data. All these means are known to those skilled in the art.
  • the display screen 210 may be a cathode ray tube CRT type screen, an LCD type LCD screen or any other type of screen.
  • the display screen is usually a dashboard screen. But, the display is not limited to this type of screen.
  • the display screen 210 may be the source of images of a head-up display, known by the acronym HUD meaning "Head-Up Display” or be part of an optical viewing of night vision helmet or binoculars called JVN.
  • This display screen 210 can also be the source of images of a projection system on windshield.
  • the processor 202 provides the data to be displayed on the display screen 210 based on the position of the aircraft from the navigation sensors 208, the terrain databases 206 and the "DIRECT TO" input system 204 which provides the position of the final destination.
  • the processor 202 is configured to receive and calculate the aircraft data namely the position in latitude / longitude, speed, heading, ... from the current location of the aircraft from the navigation sensors 208 which may be an inertial center, a GPS, etc. Based on the position data, the processor 202 obtains the terrain data from the terrain database 206. It sends them to the display screen 210 to represent a synthetic image.
  • the processor 202 analyzes the data from the input means 204 and determines whether this DIRECT TO is contained within a distance d1 selected from the aircraft. It can be, for example, 10 NM (Nautical Miles). If the point is not contained within this range d1, then it is not displayed on the screen. This function has the double advantage of limiting the processor workload and improving the readability of the image by reducing the number of symbols displayed, an operation known as "clutter", since it only displays the point DIRECT TO when it is useful to the pilot of the aircraft.
  • the distance d1 selected may be either imposed by the crew through the control means 212 or be a distance calculated by the processor 202 taking into account several criteria such as the speed of the aircraft, the size of the aircraft, the size of the screen 210 or any other criteria.
  • the slope slope sensor 216 is a means for the processor 202 to determine the slope of the terrain present at the final destination. This means can be just as well a field database that contains this information or field information that allows the processor 202 to calculate this slope. This data can be directly sent from the ground and received by the sensor 216 present in the aircraft and then transmitted to the processor 202.
  • the wind parameter sensor 214 is a means for the processor 202 to determine the direction and wind speed present at the final destination. This means may be a GPS or FMS type system that can perform this calculation and send the data to the processor 202 or any other means that provides the processor 202 with the data it needs to make this determination. These wind data can be also directly sent from the ground and received by the sensor 214 present in the aircraft and then transmitted to the processor 202.
  • the processor 202 determines the graphical representation of the final destination represented by an air sleeve (height, positioning, etc.).
  • the general perspective view can be egocentric, ie seen from the current position of the aircraft or exocentric, that is to say seen from a point other than the current position of the aircraft. .
  • the user can choose between these two modes of representation through the control means 212.
  • the display or not of the point of final destination can be done from the control means 212.
  • the figure 2 represents a simplified view of the images 100 displayed by a device according to the invention.
  • the curved lines in continuous fine lines symbolize a perspective view of the relief of the terrain 110 as seen by the pilot.
  • This figure also includes a symbology 111 type PFD, meaning "Primary Flight Display” symbolized essentially by graduated rectangles drawn in fine lines.
  • the air sleeve 112 is shown in bold lines.
  • the figure 3 represents three variants of representation of the windsock as represented in figure 2 depending on wind and terrain conditions.
  • a game on the transparency of the windsock can be done so as not to interfere with the reading of other symbologies like the classic ones of the PFD. It can be set for example at 50%.
  • the default color of these symbols is the white / red used for the classic symbology plot. This color may be different, provided that compliance with aeronautical standards is ensured.
  • the windsock is shown if it is between the aircraft and a certain distance d1 selected.
  • This distance d1 can be either selected by the pilot, or determined by the computer according to the speed of the aircraft, its altitude, .... It is 10 Nautical Miles (NM) in our example. This allows the pilot to be more aware of his final destination, to determine more easily the direction he must follow to achieve his goal and to identify externally his landing area and its environment.
  • the symbol of this point DIRECT TO consists of three parts: the ground part 118 which indicates the slope of the ground, the junction line 116 also called mast and the upper part 114 which represents an air sleeve.
  • the upper part 114 of the symbol represents a windsock.
  • This representation of a windsock consists of a conical sleeve composed of five alternately red and white rings. This representation has a dual purpose: according to its orientation, it gives the direction of the wind and following its swelling, it gives the speed of the wind. Indeed, each band of color corresponds to a wind force of about 5 knots (ie 9 km / h).
  • the sleeve When the sleeve is horizontal, the wind blows at more than 25 knots (45 km / h) as shown in the drawing on the left and the central drawing of the figure 3 ; on the drawing on the right, the sleeve is broken at the height of the third ring, indicating that the wind is blowing at about 15 knots (27 km / h).
  • the upper part 114 of this symbol is located at a certain height h1 calculated by the processor according to the altitude and the speed of the aircraft, the surrounding terrain, etc. It is connected to the ground by a junction line 116.
  • This junction line 116 can be either continuous or dotted with a greater or smaller line thickness.
  • this height h1 is fixed to allow better discernment of the object and to become more aware of the perspective and the type of object.
  • this minimum fixed height h1 is 50 feet.
  • the lower part 118 of the symbol is located in the synthetic "ground” and is positioned according to the actual position of the final destination. This lower part represents the direction of the slope slope as well as an indication of the value of this slope. It is represented by an ellipse. Both sides of this ellipse have a different color or texture. In the examples of the figure 3 , the face turned to the ground is black, the face turned to the sky is white.
  • the representation is different. If the slope of the ground is zero then the ellipse is only a line. If the slope of the ground is inclined to the right with respect to the aircraft, the ellipse is also inclined to the right, the right part is lower than the left part. This inclination is a function of the percentage of the slope. Similarly, if the slope is rising relative to the aircraft, the white face of the ellipse is displayed and conversely if the slope is down, then only the black part is visible. This differentiation between the two faces of the ellipse can also be achieved by different colors or different patterns. The percentage of the slope is represented by a more or less thick ellipse.
  • the slope of the ground under the windsock is descending and directed to the right.
  • the windsock symbol is drawn in a manner consistent with the landscape, ie it is positioned at its actual position. In addition, it is represented in perspective: the farther away it is from the aircraft, the smaller it is. Since this symbol has a minimum fixed height h1 from a certain distance, it is easier for the pilot to mentally represent the distance that separates him from his final destination and to have a better awareness of the direction to take.
  • the figure 4 is a flowchart showing a method for displaying this DIRECT TO point in a perspective view in accordance with the present invention.
  • Step 302 Initialization
  • Step 304 The DIRECT TO point returned is searched. This search is accomplished, for example, using one or more processors that determine based on the current position of the aircraft if the DIRECT TO point is in a perimeter close to the aircraft.
  • Step 306 The processor determines whether the point DIRECT TO is located in the selected distance d1 with respect to the position of the aircraft. If it is not located in this area then the process returns to step 304. This search loop continues until the DIRECT TO point fulfills this location condition. This loop makes it possible not to overload the screen display.
  • Step 308 The processor determines the location, the transparency level to display this point. It also determines the orientation and shape of the windsock according to the wind data. It also calculates the thickness of the ellipse, the shape of the base of the symbol, the face to be displayed or its right / left inclination according to the slope of the terrain of the final destination: Step 310: The DIRECT TO point is displayed on the screen according to its position, etc. The process is repeated from step 304. The repetition rate may be 30 times per second.
  • the main application area of the system and the method according to the invention is aeronautics.
  • the aircraft can be rotary or fixed wing.
  • the aircraft can also be a drone or a "Unmanned Air Vehicle” (UAV) controlled from the ground.
  • UAV Unmanned Air Vehicle

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Abstract

The system has an electronic control unit including an information processing unit i.e. processor, that provides a synthetic image (100) of terrain (110) to a display screen e.g. cathode ray tube screen. The image comprises a physical final destination representation of a wind cone (112) provided with an elliptical lower part, a vertical junction line i.e. strut, and a perspective representation. Shape and orientation of the lower part represent a local slope of the terrain at the place of the wind cone. An independent claim is also included for a method for displaying a final destination for a synthetic vision system mounted on an aircraft.

Description

Le domaine technique général de l'invention est celui des systèmes de vision synthétique encore appelés SVS, acronyme de Synthetic Vision Systems utilisés plus particulièrement en aéronautique pour présenter au pilote des informations concernant le pilotage ou la navigation de la façon la plus ergonomique possible. Dans le cas présent, la représentation graphique concerne l'affichage de la destination finale.The general technical field of the invention is that of synthetic vision systems also called SVS, acronym for Synthetic Vision Systems used more particularly in aeronautics to present the pilot information on the steering or navigation in the most ergonomic way possible. In this case, the graphical representation concerns the display of the final destination.

Les dispositifs d'affichage de type SVS permettent aux pilotes d'avoir une meilleure conscience des dangers environnants tels que les collisions avec le sol sans perte de contrôle, communément appelées CFIT signifiant « Controlled Flight Into Terrain ». Les CFIT sont la première cause d'accident catastrophique des avions civils. L'industrie aéronautique concentre ses efforts sur les moyens de les réduire voire de les éliminer définitivement. Généralement, les systèmes SVS permettent d'afficher un terrain synthétique ainsi que les obstacles naturels ou les constructions humaines en perspective. Ainsi, le pilote a une perception la plus réaliste possible du paysage extérieur. Classiquement, les données SVS sont affichés sur un écran communément appelé PFD signifiant « Primary Flight Display ».SVS type display devices provide pilots with a better awareness of surrounding hazards such as loss of control ground collisions, commonly referred to as "Controlled Flight Into Terrain". CFITs are the leading cause of catastrophic accidents on civil aircraft. The aeronautics industry is focusing on ways to reduce or even eliminate them permanently. Generally, SVS systems can display synthetic terrain as well as natural obstacles or human constructions in perspective. Thus, the pilot has the most realistic perception of the outdoor landscape. Typically, the SVS data is displayed on a screen commonly referred to as PFD, which stands for Primary Flight Display.

Diverses solutions ont été proposées pour aider le pilote soit dans sa navigation soit dans la présentation des informations graphiques. On citera notamment le brevet EP 1 916 503 qui propose un procédé d'aide à la navigation intuitif et la publication de P.Pruyn intitulée « Exploring 3D Computer Graphics in Cockpits Avionics » parue dans IEEE Computer Graphics & Applications, vol. 13, N° 3 de mai 1993 . Pour certaines applications, il est très important que le pilote puisse connaître de façon très sûre sa destination finale. Le brevet EP 1 906 151 propose un système permettant d'améliorer la représentation d'images prises par des caméras embarquées. En effet, dans certains cas, en particulier dans les opérations de secours réalisées par de petits aéronefs ou par des hélicoptères, le pilote doit trouver facilement et rapidement la zone finale d'atterrissage qui peut se trouver dans des zones d'accès difficiles comme les zones de montagne ou de forêts denses. Pour le travail aérien en forêt équatoriale, cette zone d'atterrissage pour un hélicoptère peut être seulement une aire où quelques arbres ont été préalablement coupés. A faible altitude de survol, il est donc quasi-impossible de repérer cette aire. Le système selon l'invention permet de visualiser sur le système SVS la destination finale à laquelle le pilote de l'aéronef doit se rendre de façon extrêmement intuitive et ergonomique. L'invention permet au pilote de mieux se diriger en prenant conscience de la direction qu'il doit suivre et de mieux visualiser le but à atteindre ainsi que son environnement en corrélant la visualisation provenant du SVS et l'environnement extérieur. Sa charge de travail est ainsi réduite et son stress est moindre. De plus, cette représentation fournit au pilote des données cruciales pour son atterrissage, à savoir la direction et la vitesse du vent et l'inclinaison du terrain. Cette dernière information est très importante pour le pilote d'hélicoptère qui doit toujours poser le nez de son appareil vers le haut de la pente afin de préserver la queue et le rotor anti-couple de l'appareil.Various solutions have been proposed to help the pilot either in his navigation or in the presentation of graphic information. For example, the patent EP 1 916 503 which proposes a method of intuitive navigation assistance and the publication of P.Pruyn entitled "Exploring 3D Computer Graphics in Cockpits Avionics" published in IEEE Computer Graphics & Applications, vol. 13, No. 3 of May 1993 . For some applications, it is very important that the pilot can know for sure his final destination. The patent EP 1,906,151 proposes a system to improve the representation of images taken by embedded cameras. Indeed, in some cases, particularly in rescue operations by small aircraft or helicopters, the pilot must find the final landing zone easily and quickly which may be in areas of difficult access such as mountainous areas or dense forests. For aerial work in the equatorial forest, this landing zone for a helicopter may be only an area where some trees have been previously cut. At low flying altitude, it is therefore almost impossible to locate this area. The system according to the invention allows to visualize on the SVS system the final destination to which the pilot of the aircraft must go in an extremely intuitive and ergonomic way. The invention allows the pilot to better navigate by becoming aware of the direction he must follow and better visualize the goal to be achieved and its environment by correlating the visualization from the SVS and the external environment. His workload is reduced and his stress is lower. In addition, this representation provides the pilot with crucial data for his landing, namely the direction and speed of the wind and the slope of the terrain. This last information is very important for the helicopter pilot who must always put the nose of his aircraft up the slope to preserve the tail and anti-torque rotor of the aircraft.

Plus précisément, l'invention a pour objet un système de visualisation de type à vision synthétique SVS, pour aéronef, ledit système comprenant au moins une base de données de navigation, une base de données cartographiques d'un terrain, des capteurs de position, des capteurs anémométriques, des capteurs de mesure de pente dudit terrain, un calculateur électronique, un moyen d'interface homme-machine et un écran d'affichage, le calculateur comprenant des moyens de traitement des différentes informations issues des bases de données, des capteurs et du moyen d'interface, lesdits moyens de traitement agencés de façon à fournir à l'écran d'affichage une image synthétique du terrain comportant une représentation de la destination finale, caractérisé en ce que ladite représentation comporte une représentation physique d'une manche à air de type aéronautique comportant trois parties, une partie basse située à l'emplacement conforme de la position de la destination finale sur le terrain, une ligne de jonction verticale et une représentation en perspective de la manche à air proprement dite disposée au-dessus de la dite ligne de jonction, la forme et l'orientation de la partie basse étant représentative de la pente locale du terrain à l'emplacement de ladite manche à air.More specifically, the subject of the invention is an SVS synthetic vision type visualization system for an aircraft, said system comprising at least one navigation database, a terrain map database, position sensors, anemometric sensors, slope measurement sensors of said terrain, an electronic computer, a human-machine interface means and a display screen, the computer comprising means for processing the various information from the databases, sensors and the interface means, said processing means arranged to provide the display screen with a synthetic image of the terrain comprising a representation of the final destination, characterized in that said representation comprises a physical representation of a set aeronautical type air-blower with three parts, a lower part located at the correct position of the position of the n final in the field, a vertical junction line and a perspective representation of the actual air shaft disposed above said junction line, the shape and orientation of the lower part being representative of the local slope ground at the location of said windsock.

La partie basse peut être une ellipse dont l'inclinaison est représentative de la pente locale du terrain, ladite ellipse ayant deux faces de couleur ou de texture différente (hachures, ...), la couleur affichée étant représentative de la direction de la pente vue de l'aéronef.The lower part may be an ellipse whose inclination is representative of the local slope of the terrain, said ellipse having two faces of different color or texture (hatching, ...), the displayed color being representative of the direction of the slope view of the aircraft.

Préférentiellement, la ligne de jonction a une taille suffisante de façon que le symbole normalisé domine le terrain environnant et ne soit pas masqué par le relief.Preferably, the connecting line has a sufficient size so that the standardized symbol dominates the surrounding terrain and is not hidden by the relief.

Avantageusement, la représentation en perspective de la manche à air a la forme d'un cône tronqué allongé comprenant cinq anneaux, les premier, troisième et cinquième anneaux étant d'une première couleur, les second et quatrième anneaux étant d'une seconde couleur, l'orientation du cône étant représentative de la direction du vent, le cône comprenant une cassure, l'ensemble des anneaux disposés avant la cassure représentant la vitesse du vent. Chaque anneau représente une vitesse de vent donné, par exemple, cinq noeuds.Advantageously, the perspective representation of the windsock has the shape of an elongated truncated cone comprising five rings, the first, third and fifth rings being of a first color, the second and fourth rings being of a second color, the orientation of the cone being representative of the direction of the wind, the cone comprising a break, all the rings arranged before the break representing the wind speed. Each ring represents a given wind speed, for example, five knots.

De plus, à partir d'une certaine distance, la représentation de la manche à air a une taille d'affichage apparente représentative d'une taille constante sur le terrain.Moreover, from a certain distance, the representation of the windsock has an apparent display size representative of a constant size on the ground.

L'invention concerne également un procédé d'affichage de la destination finale pour système de visualisation de type à vision synthétique SVS monté sur aéronef, tel que dans la revendication 6, ledit système comprenant au moins une base de données cartographiques d'un terrain, des capteurs de position, des capteurs anémométriques, des capteurs de mesure de pente dudit terrain, un calculateur électronique, un moyen d'interface homme-machine et un écran d'affichage, le calculateur comprenant des moyens de traitement des différentes informations issues des bases de données, des capteurs et du moyen d'interface, lesdits moyens de traitement agencés de façon à fournir à l'écran d'affichage une image synthétique du terrain comportant une représentation de la destination finale, le procédé comportant les étapes suivantes :

  • Réception des coordonnées de la destination finale et analyse de celle-ci;
  • Détermination de la distance de ladite destination finale ;
  • Si la destination finale est à une distance inférieure à une première distance, calcul des paramètres anémométriques et de la pente locale du terrain
  • Affichage de la destination finale sous la forme d'une manche à air représentée en perspective sur l'écran d'affichage.
The invention also relates to a method for displaying the final destination for an aircraft-mounted SVS synthetic vision type display system, as in claim 6, said system comprising at least one cartographic database of a terrain, position sensors, anemometric sensors, slope measurement sensors of said terrain, an electronic computer, a human-machine interface means and a display screen, the computer comprising means for processing the various information from the bases of data, sensors and interface means, said processing means arranged to provide the display screen with a synthetic image of the terrain comprising a representation of the final destination, the method comprising the following steps:
  • Reception of the coordinates of the final destination and analysis of it;
  • Determining the distance of said final destination;
  • If the final destination is at a distance less than a first distance, calculation of the airspeed parameters and the local slope of the terrain
  • Display of the final destination in the form of a windsock shown in perspective on the display screen.

L'invention sera mieux comprise et d'autres avantages apparaîtront à la lecture de la description qui va suivre donnée à titre non limitatif et grâce aux figures annexées parmi lesquelles :

  • La figure 1 représente le diagramme d'un système de visualisation selon l'invention ;
  • La figure 2 représente un affichage d'une destination finale sous la forme d'une manche à air selon l'invention ;
  • La figure 3 représente différents aspects de la représentation de la manche à air ;
  • La figure 4 représente l'organigramme du procédé d'affichage selon l'invention.
The invention will be better understood and other advantages will become apparent on reading the following description given by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the appended figures among which:
  • The figure 1 represents the diagram of a display system according to the invention;
  • The figure 2 represents a display of a final destination in the form of a windsock according to the invention;
  • The figure 3 represents different aspects of the representation of the windsock;
  • The figure 4 represents the flowchart of the display method according to the invention.

A titre d'exemple, la figure 1 représente un mode de réalisation possible d'un système selon l'invention pour des applications aéronautiques. Le système d'affichage graphique 200 est implanté dans un aéronef et comprend un calculateur ou un processeur 202 configuré pour fournir à un écran de visualisation 210 les informations à afficher.For example, the figure 1 represents a possible embodiment of a system according to the invention for aeronautical applications. The graphic display system 200 is implanted in an aircraft and comprises a computer or a processor 202 configured to provide a display screen 210 with the information to be displayed.

Une ou plusieurs sources de données sont reliées au processeur 202. Ces sources de données incluent une base de données cartographiques ou d'informations concernant le terrain 206 utilisée pour le tracé de la vue en perspective. Ces bases de données sont généralement positionnées dans l'aéronef. Les données peuvent également provenir du sol par des moyens de transmission ou « data link ». De plus, ces données peuvent être stockées sur différents périphériques tels que des disquettes, des disques durs, des CD-ROM, des mémoires volatiles, des mémoires non volatiles, des RAM ou tous autres moyens permettant le stockage de données.One or more data sources are connected to the processor 202. These data sources include a map database or terrain information 206 used for drawing the perspective view. These databases are generally positioned in the aircraft. Data can also come from the ground by means of transmission or "data link". In addition, this data can be stored on various peripherals such as floppy disks, hard disks, CD-ROMs, volatile memories, nonvolatile memories, RAMs or any other means for storing data.

Le système comprend un système d'entrée dit « DIRECT TO » 204 qui peut être un système dit « GPS », acronyme de Global Positioning System, un système de gestion de vol ou FMS ou tout autre système permettant au pilote de rentrer les coordonnées de la destination finale. Le système comprend également des capteurs de positionnement 208, des capteurs anémométriques 214 donnant la direction et la vitesse du vent et des capteurs de pente du terrain 216. Enfin, le système comporte des moyens de contrôle 212 pour l'affichage. Ces moyens sont, par exemple, comme représenté sur la figure 1, un CCD (Cursor Control Device), moyen proche de la « souris » informatique. Il peut s'agir également d'un poste de commande comprenant des boutons, des potentiomètres,...The system comprises a "DIRECT TO" input system 204 which may be a "GPS" system, an acronym for Global Positioning System, a flight management system or FMS or any other system allowing the pilot to enter the coordinates of the final destination. The system also includes positioning sensors 208, wind sensors 214 giving the direction and wind speed and slope sensors of the terrain 216. Finally, the system includes control means 212 for display. These means are, for example, as shown on the figure 1 , a Cursor Control Device (CCD), a medium close to the computer "mouse". It can also be a control station including buttons, potentiometers, ...

Le processeur 202 est interfacé avec des composants hardware qui fournissent un rendu graphique. Par exemple, ces composants hardware sont un ou plusieurs microprocesseurs, des mémoires, des appareils de stockage, des cartes d'interfaces ou tous autres composants standards. De plus, le processeur 202 fonctionne avec des logiciels ou « software » ou des micro-logiciels ou « firmware ». Il est capable de lire des instructions machine pour réaliser diverses tâches, calculs et fonctions de contrôle et générer les signaux à afficher et les autres données utilisés par l'écran d'affichage. Ces instructions peuvent être stockées sur des disquettes, des disques durs, des CD-ROM, des mémoires volatiles, des mémoires non volatiles, des RAM ou tous autres moyens permettant le stockage de données. Tous ces moyens sont connus de l'homme du métier.The processor 202 is interfaced with hardware components that provide a graphical rendering. For example, these hardware components are one or more microprocessors, memories, storage devices, interface cards or any other standard components. In addition, the processor 202 operates with software or "software" or firmware or "firmware". It is able to read machine instructions to perform various tasks, calculations and control functions and generate the signals to be displayed and other data used by the display screen. These instructions may be stored on floppy disks, hard disks, CD-ROMs, volatile memories, nonvolatile memories, RAMs or any other means for storing data. All these means are known to those skilled in the art.

L'écran d'affichage 210 peut être un écran à tube cathodique de type CRT, un écran à cristaux liquides de type LCD ou tout autre type d'écran. L'écran d'affichage est généralement un écran de planche de bord. Mais, l'affichage n'est pas limité à ce seul type d'écran. Ainsi, l'écran d'affichage 210 peut être la source d'images d'un viseur tête haute, connu sous l'acronyme anglo-saxon de HUD signifiant « Head-Up Display » ou faire partie d'une optique de visualisation de casque ou de jumelles à vision nocturne dite JVN. Cet écran d'affichage 210 peut être aussi la source d'images d'un système de projection sur pare-brise.The display screen 210 may be a cathode ray tube CRT type screen, an LCD type LCD screen or any other type of screen. The display screen is usually a dashboard screen. But, the display is not limited to this type of screen. Thus, the display screen 210 may be the source of images of a head-up display, known by the acronym HUD meaning "Head-Up Display" or be part of an optical viewing of night vision helmet or binoculars called JVN. This display screen 210 can also be the source of images of a projection system on windshield.

Le processeur 202 fournit les données à afficher à l'écran d'affichage 210 basées sur la position de l'avion issue des capteurs de navigation 208, des bases de données terrain 206 et du système d'entrée « DIRECT TO » 204 qui fournit la position de la destination finale. Le processeur 202 est configuré pour recevoir et calculer les données avion à savoir la position en latitude/longitude, la vitesse, le cap, ... à partir de la localisation courante de l'avion issue des capteurs de navigation 208 qui peuvent être une centrale à inertie, un GPS, ...
Basé sur les données de position, le processeur 202 obtient les données terrain à partir de la base de données terrain 206. Il les envoie à l'écran d'affichage 210 pour représenter une image synthétique.The processor 202 provides the data to be displayed on the display screen 210 based on the position of the aircraft from the navigation sensors 208, the terrain databases 206 and the "DIRECT TO" input system 204 which provides the position of the final destination. The processor 202 is configured to receive and calculate the aircraft data namely the position in latitude / longitude, speed, heading, ... from the current location of the aircraft from the navigation sensors 208 which may be an inertial center, a GPS, etc.
Based on the position data, the processor 202 obtains the terrain data from the terrain database 206. It sends them to the display screen 210 to represent a synthetic image.

Le processeur 202 analyse les données issues du moyen d'entrée 204 et détermine si ce point DIRECT TO est contenu dans une distance d1 sélectionnée à partir de l'aéronef. Elle peut être, par exemple, de 10 NM (Nautical Miles). Si le point n'est pas contenu dans ce rayon d'action d1, alors il n'est pas affiché à l'écran. Cette fonction a le double avantage de limiter la charge de travail du processeur et d'améliorer la lisibilité de l'image en réduisant le nombre de symboles affichés, opération connue sous le terme de « clutter », puisqu'elle n'affiche que le point DIRECT TO que lorsque celui-ci est utile au pilote de l'aéronef. La distance d1 sélectionnée peut être soit imposée par l'équipage à travers le moyen de contrôle 212 ou être une distance calculée par le processeur 202 en prenant en compte plusieurs critères tels que la vitesse de l'aéronef, la taille de l'aéronef, la taille de l'écran 210 ou tous autres critères.The processor 202 analyzes the data from the input means 204 and determines whether this DIRECT TO is contained within a distance d1 selected from the aircraft. It can be, for example, 10 NM (Nautical Miles). If the point is not contained within this range d1, then it is not displayed on the screen. This function has the double advantage of limiting the processor workload and improving the readability of the image by reducing the number of symbols displayed, an operation known as "clutter", since it only displays the point DIRECT TO when it is useful to the pilot of the aircraft. The distance d1 selected may be either imposed by the crew through the control means 212 or be a distance calculated by the processor 202 taking into account several criteria such as the speed of the aircraft, the size of the aircraft, the size of the screen 210 or any other criteria.

Le capteur de pente du terrain 216 est un moyen permettant au processeur 202 de déterminer la pente du terrain présent à la destination finale. Ce moyen peut être tout aussi bien une base de données terrain qui contient cette information ou des informations terrain qui permettent au processeur 202 de calculer cette pente. Cette donnée peut être directement envoyée du sol et réceptionnée par le capteur 216 présent dans l'aéronef puis transmis au processeur 202.The slope slope sensor 216 is a means for the processor 202 to determine the slope of the terrain present at the final destination. This means can be just as well a field database that contains this information or field information that allows the processor 202 to calculate this slope. This data can be directly sent from the ground and received by the sensor 216 present in the aircraft and then transmitted to the processor 202.

Le capteur 214 des paramètres du vent est un moyen permettant au processeur 202 de déterminer la direction et la vitesse du vent présent à la destination finale. Ce moyen peut être un système de type GPS ou FMS qui peut effectuer ce calcul et envoyer les données au processeur 202 ou tout autre moyen qui fournit au processeur 202 les données dont il a besoin pour effectuer cette détermination. Ces données sur le vent peuvent être également directement envoyées du sol et réceptionnées par le capteur 214 présent dans l'aéronef puis transmis au processeur 202.The wind parameter sensor 214 is a means for the processor 202 to determine the direction and wind speed present at the final destination. This means may be a GPS or FMS type system that can perform this calculation and send the data to the processor 202 or any other means that provides the processor 202 with the data it needs to make this determination. These wind data can be also directly sent from the ground and received by the sensor 214 present in the aircraft and then transmitted to the processor 202.

Le processeur 202 détermine alors la représentation graphique de la destination finale représentée par une manche à air (hauteur, positionnement, ...).The processor 202 then determines the graphical representation of the final destination represented by an air sleeve (height, positioning, etc.).

La vue perspective générale peut être égocentrique, c'est-à-dire vue de la position courante de l'aéronef ou exocentrique, c'est-à-dire vue à partir d'un point autre que la position courante de l'aéronef. L'utilisateur peut choisir entre ces deux modes de représentation à travers le moyen de contrôle 212. L'affichage ou non du point de la destination finale peut se faire à partir des moyens de contrôle 212.The general perspective view can be egocentric, ie seen from the current position of the aircraft or exocentric, that is to say seen from a point other than the current position of the aircraft. . The user can choose between these two modes of representation through the control means 212. The display or not of the point of final destination can be done from the control means 212.

A titre d'exemple, la figure 2 représente une vue simplifiée des images 100 affichées par un dispositif selon l'invention. Sur cette figure, les lignes courbes en traits fins continus symbolisent une vue en perspective du relief du terrain 110 telle que vue par le pilote. Cette figure comporte également une symbologie 111 de type PFD, signifiant « Primary Flight Display » symbolisée essentiellement par des rectangles gradués dessinés en traits fins. Sur cette figure, la manche à air 112 est représentée en traits gras. La figure 3 représente trois variantes de représentation de la manche à air telle que représentée en figure 2 en fonction des conditions de vent et de terrain.For example, the figure 2 represents a simplified view of the images 100 displayed by a device according to the invention. In this figure, the curved lines in continuous fine lines symbolize a perspective view of the relief of the terrain 110 as seen by the pilot. This figure also includes a symbology 111 type PFD, meaning "Primary Flight Display" symbolized essentially by graduated rectangles drawn in fine lines. In this figure, the air sleeve 112 is shown in bold lines. The figure 3 represents three variants of representation of the windsock as represented in figure 2 depending on wind and terrain conditions.

Un jeu sur la transparence de la manche à air peut être effectué afin de ne pas interférer avec la lecture d'autres symbologies comme celles classiques du PFD. Elle peut être fixée par exemple à 50%. La couleur de ces symboles par défaut est le blanc/rouge utilisé pour le tracé de la symbologie classique. Cette couleur peut être différente, à condition que le respect des normes aéronautiques soit assuré.A game on the transparency of the windsock can be done so as not to interfere with the reading of other symbologies like the classic ones of the PFD. It can be set for example at 50%. The default color of these symbols is the white / red used for the classic symbology plot. This color may be different, provided that compliance with aeronautical standards is ensured.

La manche à air est représentée si elle se trouve entre l'aéronef et une certaine distance d1 sélectionnée. Cette distance d1 peut être soit sélectionnée par le pilote, soit déterminée par le calculateur suivant la vitesse de l'aéronef, son altitude, .... Elle est de 10 Nautical Miles (NM) dans notre exemple. Cela permet au pilote de mieux être conscient de sa destination finale, de déterminer ainsi plus aisément la direction qu'il doit suivre pour atteindre son objectif et de repérer extérieurement son aire de poser ainsi que son environnement.The windsock is shown if it is between the aircraft and a certain distance d1 selected. This distance d1 can be either selected by the pilot, or determined by the computer according to the speed of the aircraft, its altitude, .... It is 10 Nautical Miles (NM) in our example. This allows the pilot to be more aware of his final destination, to determine more easily the direction he must follow to achieve his goal and to identify externally his landing area and its environment.

Le symbole de ce point DIRECT TO se compose de trois parties : la partie sol 118 qui indique la pente du terrain, la ligne de jonction 116 encore appelée mât et la partie haute 114 qui représente une manche à air.
La partie haute 114 du symbole représente une manche à air. Cette représentation d'une manche à air est constituée d'un manchon conique composé de cinq anneaux alternativement rouge et blanc. Cette représentation a un double objectif: suivant son orientation, elle donne la direction du vent et suivant son gonflement, elle donne la vitesse du vent. En effet, chaque bande de couleur correspond à une force de vent d'environ 5 noeuds (soit 9 km/h). Lorsque le manchon est horizontal, le vent souffle à plus de 25 noeuds (soit 45 km/h) comme représenté sur le dessin de gauche et le dessin central de la figure 3 ; sur le dessin de droite, le manchon est cassé à hauteur du troisième anneau, indiquant que le vent souffle à environ 15 noeuds (soit 27 km/h).
La partie haute 114 de ce symbole est située à une certaine hauteur h1 calculée par le processeur suivant l'altitude et la vitesse de l'aéronef, le terrain environnant, etc. Elle est reliée au terrain par une ligne de jonction 116. Cette ligne de jonction 116 peut être aussi bien continue ou en pointillés avec une épaisseur de trait plus ou moins grande. A partir d'une certaine distance, cette hauteur h1 est fixe pour permettre un meilleur discernement de l'objet et de mieux prendre conscience de la perspective et du type d'objet. On choisira cette hauteur h1 fixe minimale en fonction de la mission, du type de terrain, etc. Dans notre exemple, cette hauteur fixe minimale h1 est de 50 pieds.
La partie basse 118 du symbole est située au « sol » synthétique et est positionnée en fonction de la position réelle de la destination finale. Cette partie basse représente la direction de la pente terrain ainsi qu'une indication de la valeur de cette pente. Elle est représentée par une ellipse. Les deux faces de cette ellipse ont une couleur ou une texture différente. Dans les exemples de la figure 3, la face pile tournée vers le sol est noire, la face tournée vers le ciel est blanche. Suivant la direction de la pente par rapport à l'aéronef, la représentation est différente. Si la pente du terrain est nulle alors l'ellipse n'est plus qu'un trait. Si la pente du terrain a une inclinaison vers la droite par rapport à l'aéronef, l'ellipse est aussi inclinée vers la droite, la partie droite est plus basse que la partie gauche. Cette inclinaison est fonction du pourcentage de la pente. De même, si la pente est montante par rapport à l'aéronef, la face blanche de l'ellipse est affichée et inversement si la pente est descendante, alors seule la partie noire est visible. Cette différenciation entre les deux faces de l'ellipse peut être également réalisée par des couleurs différentes ou des motifs différents. Le pourcentage de la pente est représenté par une ellipse plus ou moins épaisse. Plus ce pourcentage est grand, c'est à dire plus la pente est importante, et plus l'épaisseur de l'ellipse est importante. Dans l'exemple du dessin central de la figure 3, la pente du terrain se trouvant sous la manche à air est descendante et dirigée vers la droite.
Le symbole de la manche à air est tracé de manière conforme au paysage, à savoir qu'il est positionné à sa position réelle. De plus, il est représenté en perspective : plus il est situé loin de l'aéronef et plus il est petit. Ce symbole ayant une hauteur h1 fixe minimale à partir d'une certaine distance, il est plus aisé pour le pilote de se représenter mentalement la distance qui le sépare de sa destination finale et d'avoir une meilleure conscience de la direction à prendre.The symbol of this point DIRECT TO consists of three parts: the ground part 118 which indicates the slope of the ground, the junction line 116 also called mast and the upper part 114 which represents an air sleeve.
The upper part 114 of the symbol represents a windsock. This representation of a windsock consists of a conical sleeve composed of five alternately red and white rings. This representation has a dual purpose: according to its orientation, it gives the direction of the wind and following its swelling, it gives the speed of the wind. Indeed, each band of color corresponds to a wind force of about 5 knots (ie 9 km / h). When the sleeve is horizontal, the wind blows at more than 25 knots (45 km / h) as shown in the drawing on the left and the central drawing of the figure 3 ; on the drawing on the right, the sleeve is broken at the height of the third ring, indicating that the wind is blowing at about 15 knots (27 km / h).
The upper part 114 of this symbol is located at a certain height h1 calculated by the processor according to the altitude and the speed of the aircraft, the surrounding terrain, etc. It is connected to the ground by a junction line 116. This junction line 116 can be either continuous or dotted with a greater or smaller line thickness. From a certain distance, this height h1 is fixed to allow better discernment of the object and to become more aware of the perspective and the type of object. We will choose this minimum fixed height h1 according to the mission, the type of terrain, etc. In our example, this minimum fixed height h1 is 50 feet.
The lower part 118 of the symbol is located in the synthetic "ground" and is positioned according to the actual position of the final destination. This lower part represents the direction of the slope slope as well as an indication of the value of this slope. It is represented by an ellipse. Both sides of this ellipse have a different color or texture. In the examples of the figure 3 , the face turned to the ground is black, the face turned to the sky is white. Depending on the direction of the slope relative to the aircraft, the representation is different. If the slope of the ground is zero then the ellipse is only a line. If the slope of the ground is inclined to the right with respect to the aircraft, the ellipse is also inclined to the right, the right part is lower than the left part. This inclination is a function of the percentage of the slope. Similarly, if the slope is rising relative to the aircraft, the white face of the ellipse is displayed and conversely if the slope is down, then only the black part is visible. This differentiation between the two faces of the ellipse can also be achieved by different colors or different patterns. The percentage of the slope is represented by a more or less thick ellipse. The higher the percentage, the greater the slope, and the greater the thickness of the ellipse. In the example of the central drawing of the figure 3 , the slope of the ground under the windsock is descending and directed to the right.
The windsock symbol is drawn in a manner consistent with the landscape, ie it is positioned at its actual position. In addition, it is represented in perspective: the farther away it is from the aircraft, the smaller it is. Since this symbol has a minimum fixed height h1 from a certain distance, it is easier for the pilot to mentally represent the distance that separates him from his final destination and to have a better awareness of the direction to take.

La figure 4 est un organigramme montrant une méthode pour l'affichage de ce point DIRECT TO en vue perspective en accord avec la présente invention.
Etape 302 : Initialisation
Etape 304 : le point DIRECT TO rentré est recherché. Cette recherche est accomplie, par exemple, en utilisant un ou plusieurs processeurs qui déterminent en fonction de la position courante de l'avion si le point DIRECT TO est dans un périmètre proche de l'avion.
Etape 306 : Le processeur détermine si le point DIRECT TO est localisé dans la distance d1 sélectionnée par rapport à la position de l'aéronef. S'il n'est pas situé dans cette zone alors le processus retourne à l'étape 304. Cette boucle de recherche continue jusqu'à ce que le point DIRECT TO remplisse cette condition de localisation. Cette boucle permet de ne pas surcharger l'affichage écran. Comme l'utilisateur gère un large nombre d'informations, il est bénéfique de ne pas afficher ce point DIRECT TO s'il est situé trop loin. La distance d1 sélectionnée peut être de 10 NM par exemple.
Etape 308 : le processeur détermine l'emplacement, le niveau de transparence pour afficher ce point. Il détermine aussi l'orientation ainsi que la forme de la manche à air suivant les données du vent. Il calcule aussi l'épaisseur de l'ellipse, la forme du socle du symbole, la face à afficher ou son inclinaison droite/gauche en fonction de la pente du terrain de la destination finale:
Etape 310 : le point DIRECT TO est affiché sur l'écran suivant sa position, etc. Le processus se répète à partir de l'étape 304. Le taux de répétition peut être de 30 fois par seconde.The figure 4 is a flowchart showing a method for displaying this DIRECT TO point in a perspective view in accordance with the present invention.
Step 302: Initialization
Step 304: The DIRECT TO point returned is searched. This search is accomplished, for example, using one or more processors that determine based on the current position of the aircraft if the DIRECT TO point is in a perimeter close to the aircraft.
Step 306: The processor determines whether the point DIRECT TO is located in the selected distance d1 with respect to the position of the aircraft. If it is not located in this area then the process returns to step 304. This search loop continues until the DIRECT TO point fulfills this location condition. This loop makes it possible not to overload the screen display. Since the user manages a large amount of information, it is beneficial not to display this DIRECT TO point if it is too far away. The distance d1 selected may be 10 NM for example.
Step 308: The processor determines the location, the transparency level to display this point. It also determines the orientation and shape of the windsock according to the wind data. It also calculates the thickness of the ellipse, the shape of the base of the symbol, the face to be displayed or its right / left inclination according to the slope of the terrain of the final destination:
Step 310: The DIRECT TO point is displayed on the screen according to its position, etc. The process is repeated from step 304. The repetition rate may be 30 times per second.

Le domaine d'applications principales du système et du procédé selon l'invention est l'aéronautique. Dans ce domaine, l'aéronef peut être à voilure tournante ou fixe. Bien entendu, l'aéronef peur être également un drone ou un « Unmanned Air Vehicle » (UAV) commandé depuis le sol.The main application area of the system and the method according to the invention is aeronautics. In this field, the aircraft can be rotary or fixed wing. Of course, the aircraft can also be a drone or a "Unmanned Air Vehicle" (UAV) controlled from the ground.

Claims (6)

  1. A display system of the SVS synthetic vision type (200) for aircraft, said system comprising at least one navigation database (204), one cartographic database (206) of a terrain, position sensors (208), wind speed sensors (214), sensors for measuring the gradient of said terrain (216), an electronic computer (202), a man-machine interface (212) means and a display screen (210), said computer comprising means for processing the various items of information originating from the databases, the sensors and the interface means, said processing means being arranged so as to provide the display screen with a synthetic image of the terrain (110), which comprises a representation of the final destination, characterised in that said representation comprises a physical representation (112) of a wind sock of the aeronautic type that comprises three parts, a lower part (118) situated at the location that corresponds to the final destination on the terrain, a vertical joining line (116), referred to as a mast, and a perspective representation (114) of said wind sock strictly speaking disposed above said joining line, the shape and the orientation of the lower part (118) representing the local gradient of the terrain at the location of said wind sock.
  2. The display system according to claim 1, characterised in that the lower part is an ellipse, the incline of which represents the local gradient of the terrain, said ellipse having two surfaces of different colour or texture, the displayed colour representing the direction of the gradient viewed from the aircraft.
  3. The display system according to claim 1, characterised in that the joining line (116) is of sufficient size so that the standardised symbol dominates the surrounding terrain and is not masked by the relief.
  4. The display system according to claim 1, characterised in that the perspective representation (114) of the wind sock is in the shape of an elongated, truncated cone comprising five rings, the first, third and fifth rings being of a first colour, the second and fourth rings being of a second colour, the orientation of the cone representing the wind direction, the cone comprising a fold, the set of rings disposed in front of the fold representing the wind speed.
  5. The display system according to claim 1, characterised in that, from a certain distance, the representation of the wind sock has an apparent display size that represents a constant size over the terrain.
  6. A method for displaying the final destination on an SVS synthetic vision type display system mounted on board an aircraft, said system comprising at least one navigation database, one cartographic database of a terrain, position sensors, wind speed sensors, sensors for measuring the gradient of said terrain, an electronic computer, a man-machine interface means and a display screen, said computer comprising means for processing the various items of information originating from the databases, the sensors and the interface means, said processing means being arranged so as to provide the display screen with a synthetic image of the terrain comprising a representation of the final destination, characterised in that the method comprises the following steps:
    - receiving coordinates of the final destination and analysing said final destination;
    - determining the distance of said final destination;
    - calculating the wind speed parameters and the local gradient of the terrain if the final destination is at a distance that is less than a first distance;
    - displaying the final destination on the display screen in the form of a wind sock represented in perspective, said representation of said wind sock comprising three parts, a lower part (118) situated at the location that corresponds to the final destination on the terrain, a vertical joining line (116), referred to as a mast, and a perspective representation (114) of said wind sock strictly speaking disposed above said joining line, the shape and the orientation of the lower part (118) of said wind sock representing the local gradient of the terrain at the location of said wind sock.
EP09168482A 2008-09-05 2009-08-24 Viewing system for aircraft comprising means for displaying a final destination and associated display method Active EP2161540B1 (en)

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US8224508B2 (en) 2012-07-17
EP2161540A1 (en) 2010-03-10
ATE539317T1 (en) 2012-01-15
US20100063655A1 (en) 2010-03-11
FR2935793A1 (en) 2010-03-12
FR2935793B1 (en) 2010-12-10

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